1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and methods for applying call terminating treatment to incoming calls, and specifically to informing the called subscriber of the call terminating treatment applied to incoming calls.
2. Background of the Present Invention
For various reasons, there are times when an incoming call to a called subscriber cannot be completed to that called subscriber. In some cases, this is due to the called subscriber""s activity. For example, the called subscriber may be involved in another call at the time the incoming call is received. Alternatively, the called subscriber may not be available or may choose to not answer the call when the telephone rings.
The particular call terminating treatment applied to these incoming calls by the network provider depends in part upon the call terminating features subscribed to by that called subscriber. For example, the called subscriber may subscribe to a call forwarding feature, which forwards the incoming call to another called party number specified by the called subscriber.
In other cases, the network may not be able to complete the call to the called subscriber due to network conditions. For example, the network may currently be experiencing a high volume of calls, and may be unable to allocate network resources to complete the call. Alternatively, if the called subscriber is a mobile subscriber, the mobile subscriber may be roaming in an area that does not provide service to the mobile subscriber. In this case, the network may not be able to locate the mobile subscriber to complete the call.
Whenever call terminating treatment is applied to an incoming call that cannot be completed to the called subscriber, in many cases, the called subscriber will have no knowledge of the call or how the call was handled. For example, if the network is busy or the mobile subscriber cannot be located, the network does not typically provide a record of the call to the called subscriber. In addition, if the caller has a do not disturb feature or the call is forwarded to another called party number, the called subscriber is not usually notified of the call at the terminal associated with the originally dialed called party number.
Information on the call terminating treatment for unanswered calls may be useful to called subscribers for many reasons. For example, the called subscriber may be expecting an important phone call, and may wish to know when the call was received, how it was handled and the reasons the call could not be completed. Currently, there is no way to inform the called subscriber of the call terminating treatment applied by the network when the call cannot be completed to the called subscriber.
The present invention is directed to telecommunications systems and methods for notifying a called subscriber of call terminating treatment applied by the network to calls unable to be completed to the called subscriber at the terminal associated with the originally dialed called party number. When a call to a called subscriber is not completed to the called subscriber at the called party number, the network logs call information, such as the calling party number, calling party name (if available) and the date and time the call was received. In addition, the network also logs call treatment information, such as the called party number that the call was forwarded to, an indication of whether or not the call was completed to the forwarded-to number, an indication that the network was busy or an indication that the called mobile subscriber could not be located. This call information and call treatment information is later provided to the called subscriber. For example, if the called subscriber is a wireless subscriber, the network can send a short message to a Mobile Station (MS) associated with the mobile subscriber when the MS next registers with the network. This short message can be displayed to the called subscriber on the MS. Alternatively, if the called subscriber is a wireline subscriber that subscribes to a voice mail system, the network can forward the call information and call treatment information to the voice mail box associated with the called subscriber for later retrieval by the called subscriber.